The kingdom of Kandala is suffering from a rapidly spreading illness that has only one known cure: an elixer made from Moonflower Petals that only grow in very specific conditions. The cure is hoarded by the rich, and too expensive for the poor. Defy the Night follows both the undercover thief Tessa Cade, who steals the elixir from the elite and redistributes to the poor, and the feared Prince Corrick, who works to keep his sickly older brother in power.
When Tessa and Corrick's lives unexpectedly cross, their hatred turns into a tolerated partnership, which begins to spark into something more. Tessa and Corrick struggle to keep their feelings in check as they work to keep their kingdom from falling to constant rebellions and the plague.
Defy the Night was a very fast paced read, with political intrigue and betrayals, romance, forming friendships and plenty of action to satisfy almost all aspects of a fantasy novel. I thought all the characters were very well thought out, even the side characters who work with/against Tessa and Corrick. I also felt that the romance was very well balanced with the plot. It didn't overshadow the plot but rather made the plot more dense, and also helped contribute to the character development. I would recommend!